Break-out season so far, but Arrington sees room for improvement

FOXBORO — When Kyle Arrington looked back over his season last spring and summer, he saw plenty of missed opportunities.

By BRIAN MacPHERSON | | Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO - When Kyle Arrington looked back over his season lastspring and summer, he saw plenty of missed opportunities.

"I did a lot of self-scouting last year after the season ended,and I felt like there were a lot of plays for me to make which Ididn't (make)," he said.

As Arrington looks back at game film from this season - a seasonin which he's already picked off an NFL-best four passes throughsix games - he sees the same thing.

"Watching the film, I've noticed a lot of plays that I,personally, have left out on the field. I tell myself, 'Shoot, Icould have six or seven right now,'" he said. "I'm just trying towork on being more consistent and taking advantage of thoseopportunities when they come."

Still, though, Arrington has taken advantage of plenty ofopportunities so far - and he's confidence he'll keep takingadvantage of them.

The former undrafted free agent out of Hofstra intercepted hisfourth pass of the season on Sunday against Dallas, hauling in awayward Tony Romo pass on the Cowboys' first possession. He's oneinterception ahead of a group that includes Antonio Cromartie,Darrelle Revis and Charles Woodson.

Arrington played in 16 games last year, starting 14 oppositeDevin McCourty, but intercepted just one pass. Arrington didn'tintercept any passes in nine games in his rookie year, and heintercepted just two passes in his career at Hofstra.

"That's one of things that we talked to Kyle about last year,"Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "Something for him to work onin the offseason was playing the ball, handling the ball more, hisoverall ball skills."

Arrington came into this season with improved ball skills, andit has paid dividends.

"As an offensive player, as a receiver, you get dozens of ballsthrown to you in every practice," Belichick said. "Defensively,it's a different story; you don't get very many opportunities tohandle the ball. … Your opportunities to catch the ball arelimited in practice. It's something that you have to do more onyour own."

Arrington went home to Maryland in the spring and summerdetermined to work on his ball skills. It helped that he had achance to work with fellow Maryland and northern Virginia nativessuch as Washington running back Tim Hightower, a player wholikewise needed to work on his ball skills and his hand-eyecoordination.

When he returned to New England for training camp, he broughtthose skills with him - and he also brought with him moreconfidence that he'd ever had.

"When I first started playing the game - high school, college -I was more of a finesse player and had great ball skills," he said."I wasn't much of a tackler. I wasn't much of a physical player.But it was the opposite when I entered the (NFL) - more aggressive.I could have worked on better ball skills. You never lose it. Itwas more so about confidence. When I came back this year, insteadof just putting my toe in the water, I'm all in."

As the season has progressed, his confidence has grown.

"You have to study, first of all, your game plan and know whatyou're doing before you can study your opponent," he said. "It's alot of time you have to commit during the week. The best do it. I'mjust trying to be consistent as the weeks go on." "We're all greatathletes in the NFL. What separates people, one, is definitely filmstudy, and two is confidence. I'm just trying to work on both ofthem."